Just to Name a Few...

No one would argue that as adults we have needs.  Specific needs.  Specific needs I believe we expect to be met by our church family.  Kids do too.  I had several things God brought to my mind on Sunday as I thought back over the day. 

The lesson this past Sunday was based on the story of the paralyzed man that was lowered through the roof to see Jesus.  Jesus, before healing the man, forgave him of his sins.  With the topic of forgiveness we shared about sins we do that hurt God and then after talked about sins others do to hurt us.  A young girl raised her hand and shared "I forgive my parents for getting a divorce.  It was their decision and it hurt me."  I believe every adult in the room instantly felt COMPASSION for her.  Isn't that a need we expect from our church home?  To come and feel compassion for our struggles we are faced with as a christian, as a parent, as a misunderstood teen, as a (insert your label here....)?  This child was needing compassion in that moment.  I could even feel other kids in that room that could relate to her feelings and others that simply felt for her.  Compassion.

We expect FRIENDSHIP  from our church family don't we?  Funny how as parents we tak

e our kids to their class or children's area and expect them to happily march in.  I see as parents "push" their kids in convincing them that they'll have a great time, etc.  I've done it.  But don't we as adults like when they have someone to sit by or walk in with?  Many or most of us don't like going to church alone.  One 6 year old this week was thinking real hard about coming to Celebrate Kids but wasn't quite convinced by either parent or the two team members that were convincing her how much fun she'd have...until...she saw a friend she hadn't seen in awhile.  As soon as she saw her, she eagerly came in and ran to join her.  Friendship.

A word I struggle with...CONSISTENCY.   Ya, ya...you've heard it before and probably said to yourself a thousand times...diet, exercise, discipline, Bible reading, and so on.  That word can be applied many places. Another place to apply it?  Children.  Church.  Children IN church.  I am thinking about a handful of toddler/preschoolers that have been new to Celebrate Kids.  Tears.  Screams.  Looks of longing as their parents leave.  It breaks your heart, but consistency is the key.  Keep trying.  Keep coming back.  Keep keep keep doing it.  Eventually they'll get it.  Eventually they'll learn (through consistency) that this is a safe place.  A fun place.  I saw that this week with a toddler who would scream and cry every time.  This week?  She came in.  Said good bye to mom and dad.  And, and, and...NO TEARS!  Much rejoicing inside the adults of that room :)  Consistency.

Adults have needs.   Specific needs.  Kiddos do too, and I don't want us to forget that those needs can be met by the church family.  As much ministry as you believe happens with adults, happens with children too.  I am thankful for the team members that serve in Celebrate Kids.  Most of them serve every single week throughout the year, and I am thankful that I get to see compassion, friendship and consistency in the relationships that are built by God.  And those needs are just to name a few...

It's the Little Things

It's the "little things" that make me happy.  Little things like a new box of Crayola crayons, a new coffee mug, discovering a new font, the right pair of socks to complete my outfit, the list could go on...

Well God has given me several "little things" to be happy about with Celebrate Kids' Registration team.  Registration has been working over the last few months to make changes, improvements and recruitments and so on.  Recently God has brought many things together and with that some "little things" occurred like reformatting the registration form so it's easier for visiting parents to fill out, reformatting the database so all the info is in one place rather than three and new name tag baskets.  Sound BoRiNg to you??  Maybe.  But for me it's been refreshing because in these "little things" God is able to do some BIG things.  These little things have led to better organization...which has led to better record keeping...which has led to better communication with kiddos and families...which has led to smiling faces and involved people.

That got me to thinking and made me wonder if you might even think it too..."I'm little in this world.  I'm little in this church.  What can little me do to make a difference?"  Do YOU ever feel insignificant?  Feel you couldn't possibly be able to accomplish ____________?  I DO!  I feel all those.  You know what brings me comfort and peace and joy in all those questions and thoughts?  God.  He has blessed Celebration http://www.celebration247.com/ with a children's ministry made up of servants working together.  Servants that serve at the computer, servants that greet with a smile and a hello! servants that teach, servants that sing, servants that change smelly poopy diapers, servants that wipe snotty noses, servants that...don't have to accomplish it alone!

So little me gets to serve with little you and put us together and God gets to do BIG things!  So again I say...it's the "little things" that make me happy.

I Corinthians 12:4-6 The Message
"God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all."

Off the Beaten Path

Walking through the park with my family, we started out on a walking trail and I was so happy and content and enjoying all of what God has made:  colorful leaves, leaves crunching under my feet, blue skies, my two favorite people…the list goes on.  We walked along the trail when shortly we came to the “end”…you know, when the worn out part is no more.  Hmmm, my mind said, “Hey, let’s turn around and get back on the path.”  But if you’re my husband, your mind says, “Hey, let’s see where this can lead us.”   My daughter’s mind was working much like mine at this moment.  Getting off the beaten path made her nervous asking questions such as “What if there’s poison ivy?!  Will we get in trouble?  Are we allowed to do this?  What if we get arrested?!”  We adventured for a little bit longer and eventually made it back to the “trail”…you know, the one you’re allowed to be on J  At the moment my daughter’s feet hit the path, I heard her breathe a sigh of relief as she said, “Aaaah, finally!”  That’s when it hit me.

I wish my journey with God, that when I get off the “trail,” that it made me that nervous, nervous enough to jump right back on track where God wants me.  But we’re allowed to venture off the trail, we’re allowed to see where it leads us, we’re allowed to see what’s “over there.”  And I guess in that moment when I saw her relief, she taught me.  Taught me to have faith like a child.  I wonder why it takes us adults so much longer to get back on track sometimes when we get in our selfish ways.  When we’re on the right path, we always know it’s better there…so what’s so appealing off the beaten path?  In those moments I want to remember child-like questions such as “What if there’s poison ivy?!  Will we get in trouble?  Are we allowed to do this?  What if we get arrested?!...”

Proverbs 22:6 NLT

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Matthew 18:3 NLT

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”

God, Hugs & Fruit Loops

Celebrate Kids has a fantastic team of servants that play, laugh, teach, learn, worship and hang with a great bunch of kids on a weekly basis.  Maybe you're not one of them...so let me share with you what some have to say about these kiddos and about getting to minister to them:

• "I love seeing the kids apply the lesson they learned that day to their own lives and how they themselves can serve God even though they are kids."
• "You get the sweetest hugs!"
• "It's so encouraging to see them grow physically, emotionally, & spiritually.  You get to tell them about Jesus!"
• "It's great to see the smiles on the kids' faces when they learn something new."
• "It's the little things l like... you get to eat fruit loops, play, and make the kids laugh."
• "One of the things that surprised me the most, in serving with the kids, is their ability to pray! And, their desire to pray. I love listening to their earnest prayer requests."
• "Serving in Celebrate Kids is something I look forward to each week. The material is provided to us, the lessons are easy to relay to the children and always have an activity to engage the kids in the lesson.  Oh, and I'm learning the Bible through each lesson!!  It's awesome!"

I feel completely blessed to serve alongside a fantastic team of adults and teens that love God and love kids.